Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse

The beautiful Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse will be preserved for future generations to enjoy via a public-private partnership formed in 2004 via the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act (NHLPA). The City of Annapolis, The United States Lighthouse Society and its Chesapeake Chapter, the Annapolis Maritime Museum, and Anne Arundel County joined forces to obtain ownership of the lighthouse from the federal government.

The partners are dedicated to maintaining and preserving the lighthouse, to restoring it for historic interpretation, and to operating it for public tours.

Under our partnership agreements, the City of Annapolis is the lighthouse owner; the United States Lighthouse Society and its Chesapeake Chapter are the lighthouse managers, leasing the structure from the City for all aspects of preservation and operations; the Annapolis Maritime Museum is our primary shore-based component, housing lighthouse exhibits and being the point of departure for public tours; and Anne Arundel County provides preservation and environmental expertise.

The lighthouse will continue to be an active and Coast Guard-maintained aid to navigation.

Preservation planning and initial design work were done in 2005, along with extensive cleaning and removal of modern fabric. The major exterior preservation work started building up in 2006 and is now nearly complete.

Public tours started in 2007 and are conducted every summer. Go to our Tours section for more details.

The Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark - one of only ten lighthouses in the country to be bestowed this highest honor.